Chapter 5

In the night, we forget our will

An endless wave of bloom and flowers, waving through. The peaceful mind is, not disturbed by the dangers and concerns of the world, purely cleansed. In the dream realm, no such thing could bother you, not a war, not even your struggle to keep going. You're only haunted by your memories, the people that you let down, their trust you demolished, the daunting look on their face. Over and over, it tears you apart.

Clearly, this wasn't the case in this instance. This realm was blessed with purity, the reign of peace was established. The world you brought up, from the time of your birth to the exact second. Every single memory you cherished, every feeling that destroyed you, every moment of happiness you had. All in one place, it is your own struggle to guard the flame of serenity in your little world.

Your actions, your desires, the feelings you put away on the surface. You have to face them in order to achieve unity inside. One simply couldn't delay everything, one way or another, you have to be comfortable in your skin. Because, one's strength comes from the inside. The faith you have within, the belief you hold, your will to succeed, all of those matter. Honor the chivalrous, respect the sage, become indulged with your potential.

'Against the world, crawl deep with your nails.' Echoed through the realm, whispers of the lady.

['Underestimate a breeze you shall not, it evolves into a tornado via your lack of interest.'] Came her response, from the shadows of the trees. Bold, clear and truthful.

'What is the wind, if not for the eager claps of the butterflies?' Composed and calm was the lady's answer. Her silver hair, now flown away slightly by the zephyr's effect.

['Truth of the world, has now turned against its creator. Simpler things bring the happiness you desire.'] The voice, parallelled against the lady's. The realm has become the place of physiology, a ground for their ideals to clash against.

'The only truth, one that all desire, is locked within. The original potential, all beings share. The strength I desire, has already been imbedded within my noble blood.' A flashing holy light, embracing its summoner. The true potential of Samael, original ruler of the Underworld, carried by his lineage.

['Only the purest state of your mind can achieve, the hidden strength you have. Summon them, Descendant of the initial Lightbringer.'] Ordering, demanding, pushing towards the objective they shared. Truth of the Samael, the only one already buried deep within the history.

'The Realm of the Devils, never meant to be ruled by their inhabitants. The only suitable ruler is Lucifer, not by the name, but by the blood.' The Holy Light continued to shine brightly each passing second. Lady, not affected a bit, concentrated on their speech.

['The desire to rule, to uncover the unholy realization of the world. Prepare to brace, to unite. Your destiny awaits.'] Unfolding the potential, sensing the greatness ahead of themselves, the holiness of the wicked continues.

'My destiny, shall be realized by none. I call forth, the legacy of Samael. The mission I have been given, shall be enacted.' Unyielding, unfathomable the will. The world obeys its master, realizes their desire.

The white cherry blossoms, shaken from the core. The world crumbles, by the order of the creator. The atmosphere, now changed from devilish sweetness to holy truth. The rebellion has started, the ideals, clashing against. The shift of axis, the first fallen Angel, has become the Original Cursed.

The Unholy redeems itself, becomes the first sparking light once again. The origin reverts, back to its initial stage. The wielder, acts as the Angel once more. Cleansed from the sickness, the mind has become stable. The purity spreads, the owner's wings have started to devolve. The burning sensation, clarifies the wickedness of the Lady.

'I shall become, the Lightbringer of the Underworld anew.' Against the Lady, the Supremacy stood. The Revelation has stated, against the Supremacy, she shall become the Domination. Against the evil, she shall bring the light. To overcome oneself, dramatic change is required.

Clear the truth is, as much as the Holy. Revitalizing the supreme holiness she has within. Her inner rebellion, against the clashing forces of the Lightbringer and Prince of Lies. Unfolding the destiny, the reason Samael fell. Imitating the circumstances, refreshing the beginning, living the moment again.

'Dragon Emperor of Supremacy, Albion. Will you be the witness? My Rebellion has started, Light will be brought back to the Underworld, by none other than me. I will become, Samael's Champion.' Affirming, confronting the unholy residing within her soul. To cleanse, to unleash the ancient mystery, she will endure, the sickness of the evil.

Greatness, success, the concentrated will, subconsciously controlling the body. The Lady has to prove, the world that she can, will overcome, her greatest enemy, on her way to Righteous Glory. Holy pures the evil, light sparks within once again. The process, slowly taking effect. Clearing the origin, rewriting with the initial goal. Her destiny, resides ahead.

['Descendant of Lucifer, I will be the witness. Release the truth, surpass the limits of your devildom. Rise from the ashes of your ancestor, Bury the Darkness. Rise anew, Samael's Champion.'] Supremacy stood, ready to clash, to reduce, divide the pressure of Lucifer. To overcome, the greatest obstacle. The world will know, Samel's Legacy, continues within his lineage. The Ritual, is going into effect.

'I, am Valerie Lucifer. Obey my will, o' blood of mine. Release your true intentions, shape me, mold me, into the state you always will be. Change the shape you have been molded, by the All-Mighty. Realize your initial desire, to bring the Light. Bury the Darkness, Release the Holy.' Eradicating the shreds of the first sinner, Lucifer. Overriding her existence completely.

The Holy sprouted from the sky, clearing the view. Blessed she has been, from the very source that changed Samael. Containing, exceeding her limits. By her side, stood the Personification of Supremacy, waiting eagerly for her potential to be released. To aid her, in this enlightening moment. She has awoken the dreamer, becoming aware of the truth that now surrounds her.

Her origin, started to mold back, into what it used to be. Angel Samael, the Lightbringer of Biblical God, his finest creation, found his way on the surface of Earth once more. In these dark times, she will be the candle of hope. To finish, what her ancestor wanted to fulfill. To unite, every single being, under the light of God.

However, the world is not ready for that. Mother Earth, would not embrace the initial source rising anew. Samael, was not welcomed, his light, has been his curse, modified by Gaia. He was not allowed to step feet, on her grounds. Lightbringer was not complete, without his signature, the Earth denied the wish.

The Lady's aura shifted back to Devilish, the curse had been established. The Holy Light has gone away, in the blink of an eye. Her origin, became the Lucifer once more. The World did not acknowledge Samael, he was not to be back, neither did his legacy. The dreamer, pulled the strings to his hand again. The Realm, as peaceful as always, had undergone no changes.

'Damn It! I don't understand. What do we do wrong Albion? I have completely understood the prophecy, I know that I'm the chosen. I have you on my side, the Emperor of Supremacy. I don't get it, why can't I summon the Holiness residing in me?' Frustrated, which could be explained due to the fact that Lady was performing the ritual for the 15th time. At first, Valerie thought that it was her own weakness that caused the malfunction. However, as the time passed by, she knew that this wasn't the case. A key element was missing, and she had no clue what was that.

['Hey, look from the bright side partner. We had a breakthrough, this time your origin was about to revert itself. That was until Gaia spotted your existence, she must've rewritten your origin again. I do think though, you may be able to use holy relics for a limited time, considering that you still have the holiness from the Ritual.'] The Mighty Dragon stated, which made sense, she could still feel the Light inside her. Much to their dismay, Valerie wasn't the type to rely on mundane blades to engage in a battle. She liked to use her spells, her prowess in Martial arts was another reason too. If you count Divine Dividing into account, she didn't have a reason to use them in the first place.

'I do look from that side Albion, otherwise I'd have given up on performing the ritual on the 7th instance. That one almost got me, not going to lie, it was pretty dangerous. Still, I believe that we can pull this off successfully. There needs to be another requirement that we haven't thought about yet. Maybe a catalyst that Samael left behind?' Actually, her partner was considering just that. It wasn't a lie when she told her partner that they tried everything, including her devilish powers reduced to ashes by Albion, being impaled by a holy blade, to give context, it was the 7th attempt, and summoning previous users of Divine Dividing and asking them about Samael. Literally, they didn't have anything left to do, there had to be a catalyst for her to complete the ritual.

['I am on the same page Valerie. You're his great-granddaughter, Do you happen to know about any Artifacts, Relics or anything he left behind before he, well you know, got smashed right into the ground by Ddraig and eradicated from existence by my poison?'] Well, not exactly the right entrance but Albion was right. If there's only one thing the Dragon had utmost pride in, that would be the time he and Ddraig chased down the whole Christianity and gave them a lesson of lifetime. He missed the action, the thrill that kept his blood pumping, yet, he was fine with being the witness.

'Geez thanks for reminding me that you're the one who pulled him out of this miserable world. Either way, I don't know. The only one I can ask at this moment is Grandpa and I really don't know how he would handle it. Last I heard that he's extremely busy with the council, but, I think it wouldn't hurt to visit him, I miss that boomer.' Rizevim Livan Lucifer, the first descendant of Lilith and Lucifer, a true prodigy. Successor to the original Lucifer, both in power and royalty. Always kind and a bit overprotective of his family, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Valerie was by far his most loved Grandchildren. Well, he did spend most of his time taking care of her in her early years, threatening the council if one dares to lay an eye on her.

['Splendid idea! What would be better than to ask his own son? If there's anything, he would know it. Also, you should check up on him, partner. We both know that only you can reach him, due to both his work in the devil society and the fact that he only opens himself when you're around. After all, he is your Grandfather.'] Albion's words resonated with her, the silver haired beauty too knew that Rizevim would only speak with her about his issues. So much for being a nearly omnipotent being, nevertheless, she loved him dearly. She owed this life to him. If it weren't for her Grandpa, she would've been looked down upon by the mere reason that she is a half-breed. Nobody would dare to make a move on her, courtesy of having an overprotective Grandpa.

'Yup, we should definitely pay a visit. I can both check up on his condition and ask him those, which I don't doubt that he has an answer for. By the way, do I need to get up? What's the time? I don't want to miss school today, I'm energetic.' Although Albion hated to be used like a clock, he obliged to her wish. It was still early, 7;30 a.m, but due to Valerie's tendencies, she had to get up around those times. Like Ddraig, Albion too was a tease freak, those lovely reactions would never disappoint him.

['Energetic to see the love of your life Valerie? I have to admit, seeing you act like a highschool girl as you should be makes me happy. Who knows though, he may have feelings for you. I doubt that that lucky bastard would even have the thought of rejecting you.'] Albion striked from an angle that she didn't expect, she too knew whom he was talking about. Her classmate, Hyoudou Issei, the pure smile he has, the positive energy he radiates, everything about the boy screamed wellness. The more she thought about him, the more she yearned. To interact with him, become the source of his happiness. The faint red lines on her cheeks indicated that she had indeed feelings for him.

'N-Nonsense… I would never… I'm going to beat you up you freaking Dragon!' The Lady was embarrassed, to the point that she had smoke coming out of her ears. Her response was a heartfelt chuckle, Albion was just glad to see her like that. Their time as partners only consisted of fights and wars until her highschool life, which gradually changed their lifestyle. Surely, The Emperor only wanted her to fulfill her wishes, to live her life to its fullest.

['Always welcomed Lucifer, you can train yourself on me. However, word of advice my dear, suspending your feelings will only result in driving your desires to another level. You should embrace them, open yourself, I'm sure you won't regret it.'] Albion exclaimed, truly. Supremacy was aware of her inner circle of turmoil, she cared about the boy, hence, would do everything in her power to protect him. Even if it meant banishing him from her life.

'I know, Albion, I should be more open about how I feel. But, I'm afraid you know, I'm terrified at the thought of having him involved in the matters of Supernatural. We have enough hostility on us at the moment, I know for a fact that If I were to have any kind of affair with him, it won't end well. If anything, there's Ddraig.' Expressed her concerns, the Lady. No matter how strong she could become, there would always be something that could lead to his demise. Her partner, on the other hand, was furious.

['Valerie, This is my promise to you. I will do everything in my power to protect what's dear to you. For Ddraig, I will choke that bastard out of that damned gear if he dares to make any move on your friends. You and I, your objective is my priority Lucifer, we will get this through as a team.'] She knew that, Albion prioritized her wishes over his. If she wanted, he would find a way to end his ancient rivalry with Ddraig.

'I'm sure with every fiber of mine that you'll keep your promise partner. However, I thought you hated that boy. You've been eyeing him since I took an interest in him. Didn't know that you'd be willingly let go of your enmity towards him.' She stated that as a fact, it was obvious that Albion wanted her safety, he would take extreme cautions sometimes. He was ultimately right to do so, Valerie acknowledged his goal.

['Damn right you are. He feels pathetic for a human, and I know for a fact that he is not what he seems to be. A human wouldn't be so devoid of Supernatural, there's always a catch. However your life, your decisions partner, I will honor them. I don't trust him that much, but if you say the otherwise, then who am I to stand in your way.'] Gnarled the mighty dragon, further emphasizing his point. Valerie too knew that, obviously. Issei couldn't be that bland, he could be but there was something that resided in him, the Lady was sure of that. Sometimes, she would be alerted beside him, albeit very weak, she could sense waves of magical energy flowing in him, which was normal considering that he is indeed human.

'Point taken, noted. Anything else before you go on your way to take a nap, Wyvern Emperor of Laziness.' If he wanted to play like that, she was on board. Dragons were beings of pure uncondensed power, and pride. The most basic of insults were enough to enrage them. She got what she wanted, Albion screamed in fury, being called as a Wyvern? Nonetheless this title did not suit him at all. It was only natural to call him the Emperor of Supremacy, the very title that he earned through his sheer demolishing strength.

'Yada Yada Adios lizard, I'll see you whenever I want.'


Comfy, relaxing, purely made for taking naps for all the eternity. She could do nothing and spend the rest of her day within her bed, which was generally what she did on weekends and holidays. She could use a bit more rest, but it would take her time to prepare and she didn't want to be in a rush. Rising slowly, yawning and blinking at the same time, she rubbed her eyes, couldn't open them as the sunlight literally burned them.

Taking a look at her room, she spotted her school uniform, gently folded and waiting to be worn on her elegant chair. Her room was accordingly decorated to her heart's consent, she had a liking for white, elegant and beautiful furniture. Considering her devilish heritage, she went for the exact opposite of dark and gothic. Her liking was bright as always, she had no interest in catching claustrophobia, so she managed them in an order that there would always be some room among the furniture.

Unwillingly getting up from her warm, comfy and king sized bed, Valerie headed for the bathroom. If she wanted to stay awake for the rest of the day, she had to take a bath before the show started. Accompanied with coffee and non-stopping lectures of the Dragon inside her soul, it kept her working as intended. Hangovers were literally the worst nightmares of a highschooler.

Before releasing herself to her therapy, as she called, she took a quick glance to the mirror right next to her commode. She had to admit, she looked absolutely astonishing, however, at the same time, devastated. The bags under her eyes were visible, not that she minded though, those were the indicators of her progress. Nonetheless, she had to wear makeup to cover them, only if they did not go away after the bath. She had no need though, the Lady was already stunning.

After her quick examination was over, Valerie released herself into the bathroom, taking off her pajamas beforehand. The warm water awakened every fiber of her being, truly, taking baths were the harbinger of supreme power and confidence, rivaled by none. Washing away not only the leftovers, but also unwanted thoughts away from her system. Taking a bath plus having a healthy breakfast would wake her up completely, she heavily relied on those two.


"Valerie~, you will be late for school, come here already, breakfast is ready and everyone's waiting for you~." The lady in question heard the joyful sound of her mother, the embodiment of peace and serenity. Calm and loving as always, a mother who stood by her side whatever the circumstances are. The beauty was blessed to have such caring parents, not everybody had that.

"I'm coming mom, just give me a few minutes. I'm dressing up." Echoed Valerie's voice, throughout the mansion. She still had time to spend, after all classes would start at 8;30 a.m and the Academy was only 5 minutes away. However, she liked to have meals with her mother and her friends, with the newest addition, namely Kirin, who for the time being, stayed with them in order to preserve his well-being, order of Valerie, much to his protests.

Wearing the usual girl uniform of Kuoh Academy, the Lady ascended from upstairs. Refreshed, ready to get through the day, captain of the peerage. The smell of her mother's cooking, absolutely delicious. She couldn't wait to dig in, as they called her, never ending gluttony. She had a fancy on food, especially Ramen, something that rubbed on her from her times on Grigori.

Formed an order around the table, waited her family. From the left, Arthur, Bikou, Kirin sat, beside them, on the other side of the table, against her mother, situated her father, Razevan Lucifer, indeed a loving individual. The vacant spot was reserved for her, beside Le Fay and Kuroka, right next to her father. She could read the room, Kuroka was impatient, Le Fay had her usual pure smile, her eyes shining brightly as always.

Arthur had his elegant posture, reflections from his glasses indicated his calmness. The male youkai was in his mood, his heartfelt smile reached everyone. The newest member, Kirin, was, however, nervous from the looks of it. Understandable, he still had some uncertainty in him. Humble was the boy, he really had that thought in his mind, thinking that he was going to be a burden to them. He was going to get used though, he had become a part of this family.

"Come beside me, my dear daughter." The signal of her father she heard, making her way through. The spot was now filled, so as the family. Valerie was one hell of a lucky girl to have such parents and friends. It really felt like they were completely a family, as the old timers said, the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. Relations formed by choice were indeed stronger than those by blood.

With her taking her spot, they've become indulged in their meals. Truly, the cook was amazing, the precision of heat was finely adjusted, the eggs were neither overly cooked or raw, the meal melted in their mouth, as expected from her mother. The vegetables were equally proportioned, the dishes outright looked superb. Of course, the cook was aware of them, no such thing would make her as happy as seeing them liking her cooking.

"So boss, What's your plan for me today? Same as usual? Do I have to tail the boy again? By the way, the meal is amazing Ma'am." Kuroka decided to interrupt the silence, it was common for them to talk during breakfast, especially a bloviator like Kuroka would stop at nothing. Upon hearing the compliment, the cook smiled brightly, her daughter, on the other hand, had just enough.

"Yep, continue to observe him. If what I presume turns out to be true, then we have to take action before anybody else does." The remaining members of the family did not have a clue about whom they were talking about. They didn't feel to need to inform them, after all this was a normal scouting mission. Tail the boy, interrupt if something bizarre happens, retrieve him and hand in the report. Kirin decided to ask the question that everybody wondered.

"Excuse my rudeness boss, can you fill us in? Is there somebody that is in the same condition as I am?" If there was, then he had to step in before that guy suffered the same fate. The tingling sensation in him wouldn't go away, it terrified the boy to the core. His boss could feel that he was afraid, acknowledged his wish. However, there wasn't any proof that the Fallen was targeting him, nevertheless, Valerie wasn't the type to gamble her chances.

"Actually, I think we should be more open about this. So you see my pawn, it seems that you're not the only one. I fear that there's going to be much more to it, due to that I ordered Kuroka to specifically observe someone, that being no one other than your friend, Hyoudou. Just a speculation though, we don't have any leads." The boss dropped the bomb, Kirin was, in fact, grateful. It shows that his boss truly cares about human lives. During his time in the mansion, he came to realize the unknown face of Valerie Lucifer, cold and heartless on the surface, bright and colorful from the inside. He understood her desire to keep herself away from the normals, she did not want to be the cause of their downfall.

"I… see. Although I don't get why him, but I'm sure that you have your reasons boss. Thank you for covering my weakness, I would've wanted to do that on your behalf but… I can't even take care of myself at the moment. I'll rely on you for the time being, I promise you that you will not see me in a state like that again." His confession brought a smile on her face, she always liked determination and potential. The fire in his eyes was something that she endorsed, if he had his reason, then his destiny would reward him nicely.

"Not a problem Kirin. As you've said, I have my reasons and I'd like to keep them as secrets for now. When the time comes, I'll explain those to you first. For now, let's focus on the issue on our hand, your Sacred Gear. Believe me when I say that Arthur is the only one to have decent knowledge about Holy Relics, so you will be in his care for the time being. Inform me about the breakthroughs." Valerie took her title as the boss seriously, the beauty would often organize spars among them to keep them in shape. She didn't want them to get rusty, they always need to be in perfect condition and coordination. If they were going to be the supreme peerage of Underworld, they had a long journey ahead of them.

Kirin's second mentor, Arthur was a man of focus and honor. He liked to have fair fights with his opponents. As such, he would prioritize a duel over a victory, only if it posed no danger to those around him, especially his sister, Le Fay. Hell would break loose against the man had his sister been to shed a tear. The blondie came from royalty of utmost fame, Pendragon lineage. The family that kept the Golden Sword of Promised Victory, Excalibur, and it's sister blade, Caliburn. The worthiness to wield the blades had become engraved in their genetics, hence, they were the ultimate Devil Hunters. Unfortunately for them, Arthur carried the sophisticated characteristics of his ancestor, he would not judge based on their race, rather, on their personality. A Devil could be kind, as an Angel could be prideful.

"So… Arthur's gonna basically beat the soul outta me until I collapse… sounds like just a great idea boss, thanks. I'll pray to every god out there to help me, I know it wouldn't do anything but a man can only hope." The dreadful look on his face actually summarized everything, when it came to training, the Holy Sword Wielder would lose control. In this situation Kirin had basically become his punching bag, so much for a new life huh. His violent eyes lost their brightness. Valerie doubted her decision for a tiny fraction, but nah. Arthur couldn't be that harsh, could he?

"C'mon buddy, it's not that hard to go on toe to toe with him. Just bonk and run, repeat until… he freaking stabs you. Oh… I remember that torture, the first time is the toughest dude, you'll get used to it. Nevermind he's nuts, I'm just glad that I'm done with that." Recalling the moments, just like a veteran would the times he's been in 'Nam. The frightening sound of their respective blades clashing, Arthur pulling out Caliburn and stabbing him, over and over. Good thing they had Le Fay on their side, otherwise he'd collect his severance payment and retire, going against a monster like him while being a Devil was outright a suicide mission.

"Oh thanks, now I'm frightened even more Bikou. Tell me something useful, like how can I even avoid him? Is there anything that I can use against him? Even a tip would be much better than this." The young lad too knew that, there was no escape. Until he figured something out, Arthur would chase him to no end. The boss might've to reconsider this decision and have a talk with the man, but there was Arthur's gimmick that he only did that to Bikou for ridiculing Le Fay. As long as he did not cross the line, they should be fine.

"Hmm… look for someone that has a ridiculously powerful demonic blade to rival both Excalibur Ruler and Caliburn, technique and experience to surpass Arthur. Until you find out that guy, you're gonna train with him. At the very least, you'll be more durable than you used to be, so just accept your fate and go for the win my boy." Reassuring the boy, Bikou left out a chuckle. Sure Arthur had his downs, but as a whole he was caring, they were only playing around and he knew that he would certainly go easy on Kirin. They could tell the truth but where's the fun in that?

"Stop terrorizing him boys, he's new, remember? If anything, I'm sure that boss wouldn't allow Arthur to demolish the little faith he has within. Given time, I know that he will surprise all of us." Kuroka made her speech, wanting to keep the boy's will intact. It was a good move but she could feel that he was already worried about the outcome of their training. She knew that their intentions weren't like that, but that was just bullying.

"Enough is enough, Bikou. You know that I can always do the same to you, only a few words and Arthur will step on your tail. So If you don't want to be burnt into a crisp, support our newest friend. After all you're his first mentor." The boss had that threatening aura around her, Bikou knew too well that enraging her wasn't the right thing to do.

"Chill out ladies, I'm just joking. I have no desire to sulk down the mood of Kirin, Imma teach him a few tricks, that's all." He had a few things in his hideous mind, everyone could feel it. Nevertheless, this meant good news for Kirin. Bikou had a natural ability to be a mentor, due to his origins that stem back to the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits, his initial training with the First Generation Buddha paid off quite nicely.

"I'm glad that we're over it, now concentrate on your meals. I'm sure that no one here would want to upset our dear cook." Finishing the conservation with a firm tone, Valerie made her point stand.


"You know boss, wouldn't people suspect anything when they see us together? I wouldn't want you to become a gossip topic, especially not for me." Kirin voiced his concerns, they've been walking to school together for a few days. He didn't want to cause any trouble for her, which was understandable, he really didn't want to be a burden to her, after what she's done for him. Valerie, on the other hand, wasn't bothered by the slightest. They could gossip all they want, the important thing in this matter was his safety.

"I don't think so, Kirin. I don't care about their gossip, as long as they're just rumors which we both know the truth. Hence we will split up after the gate, I don't think it will be a problem. Also, on the school grounds, you don't have to call me boss, Valerie will do it just fine." Nonchalantly exclaimed the Lady, Valerie knew about every Supernatural being in the school, so they wouldn't have to cover themselves. Humans wouldn't bother her, but a spy surely would.

As they've been walking at a slow pace, they couldn't notice their surroundings, time flew past quickly and before the duo realized, they were already in front of the Academy. Luckily for them, everybody was busy getting ready for their classes, the atmosphere around the academy was the same as always, boring, peaceful, yet had a special feeling in it.

"I'll pick you up after the classes, Kirin. If you get into trouble, let me know, we can sort it out. Until then take care of yourself." With their eyes locked, the duo gave their goodbyes. The boy made his way to the Academy building without any further ado, determined to pass the classes without sleeping. As for Valerie, she found something that sparkled her interest, her cold blue eyes locked on a boy.

His messy hair gracefully danced along the wind, waiting to be sprung out of it's stance. The smile on his face, melted the heart of the Lady. His hazel eyes, fixated, concerned, yet had a bright light in them. His face was full of purity, meant no harm to those close to him. So soft, so pure, so… lovely. In her highschool years, she hadn't seen the boy without his smile, always positive, always yearning, to ease the concerns.

Issei Hyoudou… the boy she came to have a great deal of interest in. The very first thing she liked about the boy, was the positive energy around him. No matter what happens, the smile wouldn't go away, that made her attracted to him. Deep down, she wanted to be the cause of that smile, wanted him to ease her pain, to support her. To tell her that, everything was going to be okay.

However, that was a big no no. She couldn't be that selfish, the boy was very nice, she would corrupt him, make him a target. Even if it hurt her, Valerie made up her mind, she would not approach him. Only she knew, the boy was yearning for her interest, he wanted to be at her side. He wanted her to mend him, back to what he used to be, help him heal the shattered pieces of his heart. Issei knows that, only she could make it through his broken mind.

['It's definitely a sight to see you like this, Partner. I have to say, being a girl of your age really suits you. I'm not stating that cause it's funny, I actually want you to live a normal and peaceful life. Shake away everything, just focus on the happiness you will find, my girl."] The Heavenly Dragon expressed, with sympathy in his tone. Surely, Albion only wants her to do whatever she wants, only if it brings her joy.

'Oh… look who's back. Didn't I tell you that I'd call out to you when I wanted? Go back to your nap embodiment of laziness.' Much to Albion's dismay, she cut the link between them. Valerie didn't want him to get in her way at Academy. She's had enough of his tendencies in the past, this time, she would do things in her way.


'I can't believe it's already noon, time surely flies quickly.' The Lady expressed, perhaps she had to pay more attention to her surroundings. The day has gone from zero to hundred real quick, the anomaly she detected in the classroom was a part of that. Valerie could swear that she was sensing a devilish aura around the class, she wasn't going insane, was she?

As she was trying to figure out the source of it, her eyes spotted a timid yet ordinary boy, who was nobody other than Hyoudou. Every single signal was directed against him, no wonder the pressure was demolishing him. The anomalies were faint, before she could track them, they disappeared in the blink of an eye. Nevertheless, the Empress was alarmed.

If there were any other devils in Kuoh, they had to know. Their intentions may not be as good as the trio's, let alone concerning the only boy she has been trying her hardest to protect. Valerie had to inform the other heiresses about the situation, as they were cooperating with each other for the leadership of Kuoh.

Her suspicions concerning Hyoudou Issei grew, she could feel something was off. He was the only one affected by the wave of energy other than her and Tsubaki, Sona's Queen. The female duo have been glancing at each other every time the energy surged throughout the class. They were perceptive, so as the boy, he could feel the threatening gazes of women. He had prayed to every god out there for them to not find out that quickly.

"You know, Miss Lucifer. We have to investigate that boy, Hyoudou. Counting on my quick analysis, I'm fairly sure that he doesn't have a connection with the surges. I don't think he is involved with any of this, but there's a high possibility that he is somewhat aware of the other side. Probably a dormant type but I think we shouldn't gamble on this." Fixating her glasses, the queen exclaimed to her fellow kin. On her perspective, this was a matter that should be immediately discussed between the Kings, loyal as always.

"You can inform Sona about the surges, I have been keeping an eye on the boy for a while. He's probably having gut feelings as we do often. I have this under my control, you're dismissed Tsubaki." The Lady spoke firmly, standing on her point. The class had already been dismissed so they could discuss the problem publicly.

After taking another glance at each other, Tsubaki and Valerie went on their way. Tsubaki headed for the Student Council for her duties as the secretary and Queen, with the latter making her way to the boy, whom she was sure to find at the school's terrace, he would spend his time on the lunch breaks there.


'Surely a beautiful day this has been. I have to say that I'm impressed by the behaviour of Hyoudou. I didn't think he would go as far as this for me. Still, I have to make it up to him somehow, I sincerely doubt that my show of appreciation is enough. I don't want to seem like I'm abusing his kindness.' The Lady was lost in her thoughts.

It was a good decision to take the long way home, as she had some space for herself, deciding the outcomes of the events transpired today. The Devilish Surge incident, her lunch with Issei, him waking her up like that… the more she thought about it, the more embarrassed she became. Valerie felt… peaceful, beside him, she could forget about her worries. If not for her duties, she would've kept on her nap, knowing well that he wouldn't leave her side.

Those unknown feelings, they terrified the beauty. It was her own decision to not bond with humans, the losses were far too great. She couldn't withstand the nightmares, the lifeless bodies that surrounded her, including Kirin, Kuroka, Arthur, Bikou, Le Fay, Issei… They clearly were, a message to her. Everytime she bonded with someone, a catastrophic event took them away, this was her curse.

They all kept on screaming, for her to save them. Only Issei smiled at her, even at his demise, he did not blame her, told her to become stronger, to keep the evil at bay. His shallow eyes, gazing at her desperate ones. His touch, cold, yet still lively, still kept her heart beating. This boy was her cure, to pull her out of her own nightmares.

['Looking a little bit more bright than usual Valerie, someone made your day? If I have to presume, it has something to do with that boy.'] Great, just great. The being that put her in this situation came back from his eternal slumber, just as she thought that she had some spare time for herself.

'Oh… Look who's back. The Embodiment of Supremacy, a nigh omnipotent being, yet still fails to realize common sense. Jerk, didn't I tell you to wake me up when he returns? Thanks to you he made all the work and I feel that I owe him.' Valerie was fuming, she would deal with Hyoudou later but Albion specifically annoyed him with his actions today.

['You should be thankful brat! You still have that cowardice on you, if it weren't for me you two wouldn't even have a moment, let alone locking eyes.] The way that he put it, Albion wasn't enraged by her words, but by her complicated issues. If she wants to make a move, by all means she should. However, her actions and her ideas didn't meet. She is the forsaken White Dragon Empress! What in the world could make her feel terrified? A bunch of Angels? Devils? Fallen Angels? Hell, even Ddraig couldn't stop her from her desires. Her existence was truly a miracle, but seeing her in a state like that actually made the Dragon sorrowful.

Valerie caught up on that, she knew that being afraid shouldn't put a dime in her actions. She couldn't live her life wholly if she kept on isolating herself. The desire kept on becoming stronger and stronger, she couldn't stop it, she didn't want to. The Lady had to acquire what she wanted, of course it would be much better if it was consensual between both sides. She had no doubt that Issei was willing to know her better, so did she.

'Yeah… I guess you're right, Albion. I really haven't looked at this matter from that perspective, exclusively, yours. Thanks for today, Partner. I guess I owe you one too.' Sincerely exclaiming the sudden realization she had, Valerie continued her way, to the Mansion.

['You don't owe me anything, Valerie. I just want to see you as a happy young girl, that's all.'] His answer fell down to deaf ears, realizing that she had already cut the link. Nevertheless, the Dragon was happy, from the way she acted, it was clear that she would at least consider his advice, which was enough for Albion.

With their conservation done, the duo enjoyed the breeze, the peaceful aura that formed around them.


Upon arriving at the mansion, Valerie's eyes were looking for the one and only mischievous Youkai. She was eager to hear her report about Issei. The tailing mission was something that both intrigued her, and kept her at bay. She could rely on Kuroka about his safety, the duo had shared so much in the past, be it secrets or missions.

Her expectations died quickly upon finding out that Kuroka was yet to arrive. The silver haired beauty instead headed for the training grounds, located at the basement of the mansion. Well, if Kuroka was not here, then she could examine the progress of the newest addition of her peerage, Kirin. The boy looked promising, his gear especially, a subspecies Longinus, Incinerate Anthem, the perfect gear for an exorcist.

The scene in front of her, needlessly to say, made the girl smile triumphantly. There stood the boy, exhausted, with his gear intact, against his enemy, Arthur. The senior's classic suit was torn, to be precise, burnt slightly by Kirin, his glasses still on his face. Arthur's condition looked much better in contrast to the boy before them, his hair had become messier, the wounds Arthur inflicted on him were visible. Even then, Valerie still felt proud, in such a short time, 2 and a half weeks, the boy was already showing steady prowess with his Longinus.

Arthur was the expert when it came to the Holy Relics, being the owner of the Caliburn and Excalibur Ruler made them realize that fact briefly. Thus, it was decided that Arthur would take care of his training with the Longinus, whereas Bikou would be his mentor, guiding him along the world of Supernatural and its history. Tactical superiority and Physical training were Valerie's superior sides, hence she would train him in those aspects on the weekends. Kuroka and Le Fay were the magicians, The Youkai had been honing his destructive spells, with her own way, on the other hand Le Fay was passing her knowledge about various different magic types down to the boy.

Truly, they could shape Kirin into a fine warrior in no time, which is a luxury they didn't have. In doing so, they would bond with him, becoming a listener, a brother, a sister to him. A family would always be a family, no matter the circumstances, they would not leave each other behind. If one of them is in dire need of help, they wouldn't have second guesses about it. Shaping the peerage like that was Valerie's goal, and she seemingly obtained it.

Back to the fight between the Holy duo, they were on their last stands, well, Kirin was. Arthur didn't feel the need to take a break, as he was holding back greatly, so he was still comfortable with going on. The boy, in contrast, was about to collapse. Even with the enhanced abilities, thanks to Le Fay, he was no match for Arthur. The holy flames were indeed useful, but there is a long road, full of obstacles he has to overcome if he wants to keep his ground against somebody like Arthur.

Deciding that it would be the best if she called it enough for today, Valerie spoke.

"Alright, It seems that there has been quite the show you two have made for the past 2 hours. The session is over, it's time to patch you up and refill your energy." As soon as Kirin heard that, he let out the breath he was holding, crashing onto the ground in the process. The boy went over his limits everytime, truth to be told, that was astounding. Valerie herself made her way to check up on him, whether he's just unconscious or something was wrong with him. Thankfully, he was just exhausted, a little bit of sleep until the dinner would make him get into his senses.

Signaling at Bikou, the silver haired beauty ordered him to take the boy to his room. Le Fay went with him to heal the aftereffects of the training, suggestion of her brother, who was still amazed by the determination that surged through his apprentice. The peerage became more lively after Kirin's arrival, Arthur had a new goal as the Knight, to make sure his efforts didn't get wasted and actually teach him a few things during their training. The Blondie had high hopes in him, which he has no doubt that will prove itself in time.

"He really tries hard, doesn't he? What is your comment on his current position, Arthur? Can you inform me about the progress, malfunctions, anything else you need in the regime?" The stoic king of the peerage demanded to know about the current state of their training.

"So far, I'm impressed. He has the motivation, the drive, the will and most importantly, faith. The things he accomplished in such a short time is amazing. It took a month for even Bikou to land a strike on me, and everybody here knows that Bikou's far more powerful than Kirin, who did it just today. I think this is more about me holding back and the shared training we impose on him rather than pure strength. Nevertheless, it's going great and I think we will have a breakthrough in a few days." The Knight exclaimed his own ideas about the boy. The news were promising, their training schedule heavily relied on Arthur so hearing those really mattered.

The practice grounds had turned into a mess, the pure white walls were stained with the blazes of Incinerate Anthem over the last couple weeks. The energy signals radiated over the room were dense and suffocating for a devil, hence these two were more like the Holiness' embodiment.

"I see… That's great, Arthur. If there's anything we should be concerned about, contact me. You can leave now, and please tend to your needs. We don't want you to overwork yourself." The troubled tone in her tone indicated that this was more of an order than a suggestion. She cared about them, this was as clear as the day, to the point she felt the need to imply them to relax, take days off, have a social life and blend in with society.

"Understood, my King." Regaining his classic Knight posture, Arthur excused himself. Having a loyal Knight like Arthur had its benefits, the King could count on him about serious issues, like Kirin's case.

After the blondie's departure, Valerie went on her way to check the boy's condition. She could feel the strain on his shoulders, the absurd need to become stronger, to fend off the evils that rang the bells of Apocalypse, yearning for the supreme power. He reminded her of the times she took this seriously, to the degree that fighting was her only joy.

The slim shade of light found its way from the door to Kirin's face, she could see him from the crack, the peaceful and confident look on his face told her all she needed. Smiling, she approached him nevertheless, making herself comfortable on the spot beside him. Valerie took a liking to the boy near her, a sisterly love she felt. The Lady was the only child of the household, however, Kirin was already a younger brother to her, much like the rest of the peerage.

"You are, for sure, a strange individual, Kirin. I believe it's fate that crossed our paths, for I have found you, it's my duty to awaken your potential. For the sake of me, please get stronger. I have high hopes in you, I doubt that you will disappoint me, my pawn." Stroking his soft and silky hair, the King took a look at his posture. She wouldn't have thought about this outcome 2 weeks ago, yet here they were, already bonding with him, counting him as a member of their family.

Upon ensuring herself, Valerie quickly and quietly excused herself, she had to let him rest. Today was far from over.


The house of Lucifer was in a hurry, after all their favorite time of the day had come. Valerie and Kuroka were helping the cook in the kitchen, with her daughter taking care of the salads, in the meantime Kuroka was helping her with the final touches of the main course.

Arthur and Bikou, on the other hand, were tasked with preparing the table, arranging the seats, plates, forks and spoons. Bikou would drop the plates and supply the table with the dishes, Arthur was more keen on arranging the table in the appropriate decoration, symmetry was important for him.

The youngest member, however, was given the duty to wake the sleeping beauty up, which, in the real sense, was truly hard. Sure Kirin wouldn't seem like a heavy sleeper, but truth to be told, with her attitude, it was becoming harder and harder to wake him up. Gently calling his name and poking him wouldn't do the job, on the contrary.

Everyone was ready, except for Kirin. Deciding it would be the best, Valerie sent Bikou to get him down there. And oh boy, he grinned like a madman. Bikou had a variety of ways to wake him up, but this one was gonna be the most epic one.

"Watch and learn, Le Fay. That's how you're gonna get him dragged down here." Reaching for the drawer, the Youkai pulled a… megaphone? Oh no… Bikou quickly made his way to the poor boy, Kuroka, on the other hand, was counting with her fingers.

3

2

1

"SERGEANT KIRIN! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK, GET YOUR SHIT PULLED TOGETHER" "Lieutenant" Bikou's voice echoed through the mansion, not after too long, they heard the other boy's.

"SERGEANT KIRIN, 12th DIVISION I AM AT YOUR SERVICE LIEUTENANT!" Still dumbfounded by their exchange of words, Valerie waited for their arrival.

"GET YOUR DAMN GEAR, THE REDS WON'T WAIT FOR YOUR PATHETIC ASS." Followed by a 'Yes Sir!' they heard the sound of footsteps. When the duo came down, it was literally impossible to not laugh at the sight before them.

The poor boy, with an army helmet equipped, ready to engage. It seems that Bikou snatched an old model AK-74 to his hands. It took a few moments for Kirin to realize that he's been bamboozled by his mentor, yet again. The peerage, on the other hand, couldn't stop themselves from laughing. Kuroka looked like she was about to pass out from lack of oxygen, even the stoic Arthur was having a hard time. Bikou, on the other hand, was laughing very similarly to one particular spanish guy, Risitas.

"I can't believe you've fooled me again, for one tiny moment I really thought Soviets were back." Oh boy, you can't convince them. You've already made yourself into a laughing stock, thanks to Bikou. Kirin was more embarrassed than angry, it wasn't the first time Bikou pulled something like that. Passing his gear aside, the boy approached the table.

"Haaa… So Vietnam flashbacks I presume? I have to say that Bikou, that was much more than hilarious." Valerie was the first one to get out of the trance they called a laughing session. She had to admit, Bikou really topped himself with this one, like she could understand pouring glasses of water, but this? This was really something else.

"Pleasee, don't encourage him Valerie. I don't really want to know what other tricks he has up in his sleeve. This one is already embarrassing." The boy pleaded, but was met with a smile that no such thing was going to happen, as long as Bikou did his job flawlessly, he could use every method he saw fit.

'This night is gonna be really long' Thought the boy as he suited himself.


After finishing the meal with solitude, the peerage went on with their session. Upon Kirin's request, which was welcomed by them, Arthur and Bikou began to tell their stories on how they crossed paths with Valerie. However, before they could continue, their boss demanded Kuroka's report, she was unusually late today, something must've happened.

"The thing is Boss, our theory turned out to be false. It's not Hyoudou that's been targeted, rather, someone I think as an acquaintance to him." Kuroka exclaimed, which raised an enormous amount of questions. News were relieving, but still frightening. Fallens have made another move on their territory, looks like she has to pay a visit to Azazel. Implying her to continue, Valerie shifted her whole attention to the Youkai.

"As I had been tracking the boy, a barrier was erected on their location. Luckily, I was keeping my distance fairly close. I managed to get around the barrier and confronted the Fallen Angel, Raynare. Needlessly to say that I've burned her to a crisp after interrogating her in the midst of our battle. The information I have acquired is that there is another Sacred Gear user in this town, namely Laira Silver, a girl of your age, Kirin. Before you say boss, I made completely sure that nothing has happened to those two." With her handing the report, a silence fell between. So, there was going to be another Fallen Angel case. The decision wasn't precise, but still they saved a life. A life that would become much more precious in the near future. Kirin's eyes widened at the revelation, his friends were going to end up as the same as him.

"Wait… I know her! We are in the same class… How come I haven't noticed something? If I did sooner, then I could..." As usual, he was blaming himself, for things he had no control in. It was expected though, the boy had that in him. No one blamed him for what would happen to his friends, they knew that if he had that information, he wouldn't leave their side for a bit.

"I see… but then again, our mission was successful. We have eliminated the threat, ensured their safety and acquired the information we needed. The first thing we should do is inform the girl of her gift, it seems that she will attract even more uninvited guests, which means that her Gear is powerful. However, you don't have to bear the burden, Kirin. You have to learn that you can count on us. " The king formed eye contact with him, seeing that look was enough for her, he would embrace the idea sooner or later.

"You've said that you know her, right? Then my pawn, it is your duty to collect her tomorrow. We need to have a talk with her, she may seem to not know about Supernatural on the surface, but we have to be sure. It could have something to do with the 'Devilish Surge Incident'." Upon hearing the last sentence, which she unknowingly said out loud, in an instant Valerie became the center of attention. Another secret she had, it seems. Nobody could understand their boss' working mechanism, while it was ultimately true that she didn't want to keep them in the shadows, there were things that they didn't need to know for the time being.

"Me? I haven't talked to her for like, a month? I really don't know how that would work out, but I shouldn't question your orders boss. In one way or another, I will find a way to bring her to the Club, I have no desire to let you down, boss." With his new profound confidence, Kirin accepted his duty. It couldn't be that hard to drag her down, could it? Now when he thought about it, there was a slim issue named Kyle, the overprotective younger sibling, good thing that they were on decent terms with each other, thanks to Issei.

"Now that we have come into an agreement on this, you can continue, gals." As always, Valerie finished the conservation in an instant. Arthur took up the lead, it was his turn to tell their story.

The more he told, the more sympathy Kirin felt towards the siblings. An arranged marriage, Le Fay being looked down on for the mere reason she was the offspring of the witch, the unconditional love a family had, in their case hadn't, Arthur throwing his pride and rank for the sake of the girl he came to love. The people he had to sacrifice to ensure Le Fay's well-being, every single detail was heartbreaking, no wonder Arthur wouldn't show any motion of emotion.

What Kirin learnt from this session was that the best way to improve himself was being stuck in a life or death situation. Everyone in this room had their share of meeting the Azrael at once, the boy had that too but at that time he didn't know the existence of this side. Now, he had a goal, to protect what's dear to him, to make his King prideful, for how strong he became, to become the Ultimate Pawn of Underworld.

Bikou went toe to toe with the First Generation Buddha, which is a feat in itself. Arthur could sweep the floor with Bikou, Kuroka had the whole Underworld chasing her tail at times. Le Fay wasn't that much destructive but her utility was beyond what he could imagine. Their boss… Well… From what she has told him, Valerie too was a Longinus user. The White Dragon Empress, a name for the users of Divine Dividing, hosting the Heavenly Dragon Albion inside it. Adding it the fact that she was a direct descendant to Lucifer himself, she was absurdly strong for her age, presumably the most powerful young devil around.

But, she had a destiny, to clash with the Red one, a match against The Red Dragon Emperor, the clash of Supremacy against Domination. For centuries, Ddraig and Albion fought against each other. After the Great War, they were sealed in their respective gears, Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing. Their rivalry continued from the gears and their hosts. One day, Valerie would clash against the host of Ddraig, until that fateful day, she would keep on getting stronger and stronger.

Such concepts were scary for Kirin, not to mention that he had utmost confidence and trust in his King. He couldn't stop thinking otherwise, what would happen if she were to lose against them? Rivalry or not, the boy wouldn't let Valerie to live through such a terrible fate. Even if it costs his life, he will eliminate every threat involving her in the slightest. He would not waste this second shot at life, might as well fulfill it with paying his debt.

Bikou's turn had come, but just as he was going to finish his story, an unexpected event took place. Issei called Kirin and demanded to meet with him, with a leverage on his hand, a name that he shouldn't know about, Raynare. Swiftly making his decision to confront him alone, The boy readied himself.

There had to be so many things that needed an explanation, Kuroka's report and Issei's antics didn't match, unless… the duo struck a deal...


So yeah, another delay to the meeting. It has a reason though, there's an event I think that will flesh out some connections and holes in the plot so I'll work on that, it will take place just before the meeting.

Anyways, your lazy writer is here and I'll hereby announce that I'm a douche and the next chaps' gonna be shorter than the rest. I'll come around with something tho, don't ya worry.

Also, check your inboxes dudes. I replied every single one of your reviews there, I'd really like to have someone to pour my thoughts and suffocate them with my autism, especially considering the next one will, well, suck the living outta me.

Kthxbai Shiwft out